Good morning. This is the NOTUS Metro newsletter for Aug. 19, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!
THE LATEST
Six current and former D.C. police employees stand accused of pocketing nearly half a million dollars combined for overtime they did not actually work, NOTUS’ Jenny Gathright reports.
A judge signed arrest warrants for all six, D.C.’s top prosecutors announced Tuesday. They will be charged with fraud, theft, forgery and uttering (a term we just learned; it means presenting a document one knows is fake or forged).
Trending
Prosecutors allege that the employees routinely submitted false information about hours they worked in 2024. In some cases, they claimed to have been working overtime while they were actually traveling outside of the District, according to prosecutors. The highest-earning of the group, a former sergeant, received nearly $175,000 from the alleged scheme.
The arrests come as D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department is struggling to curb soaring overtime costs and grappling with a 50-year staffing low. For many officers, overtime has become an increasingly common and exhausting necessity.
The fraud alleged here represents a small fraction of overtime spending at the department, which reached a whopping $134 million last fiscal year.
DEEP DIVE
A rowhouse fire in Southwest D.C. that displaced two adults and two children Sunday night has been pinned on a “lithium ion battery in an electrical mobility device,” in this case an electric dirt bike that was stored and charged inside.
The fire raised concerns from D.C. fire officials, who continue to warn that the increasing number of electric bikes and scooters — especially those bought online and shipped from China — could pose risks to residents, especially if they are charged indoors.
D.C. has experienced an increase in e-bike and scooter usage, and some significant fires: one in early 2024 displaced 23 people from their building in Northwest, and another in Northeast in 2025 temporarily left four people without a home.
The D.C. Council may soon take action. Members are expected to vote on a bill this fall that would require local retailers to only sell electric bikes and scooters (and their related battery components) that are specifically certified to avoid the types of risks that have led to fires. Similar legislation was adopted in New York in 2024, and lawmakers in San Francisco have discussed following suit this year.
In the meantime, D.C. fire officials are again advising caution. “Please stay safe. Charge larger devices (such as eBikes) away from your exit path and outside your home,” D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services said on social media.
FROM THE DISTRICT
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro blasted a federal judge’s Monday decision to release the woman charged with vandalizing D.C.’s World War II Memorial, The Washington Post reports. Pirro told the Post that the woman, Melissa Farris, is “certainly” a flight risk if she’s not held until her trial. Farris is not from the D.C. area.
After being forced from the Kennedy Center, the National Symphony Orchestra announced it will play at six venues around the District for its 2026-27 season, The Associated Press reports.
The White House can paint tests on a small portion of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a judge ruled this week. It’s a win for the Trump administration, which had been sued over its plans to repaint the building white to “aesthetically align” it with the White House next door. Plaintiffs argue that going through with the painting would damage the building and circumvent federal preservation laws.
“This is about whether the president of the United States must follow the law that everyone else follows when they’re proposing a project that could harm a national historic landmark,” Greg Werkheiser, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told NOTUS.
FROM VIRGINIA
Democratic Virginia Reps. Don Beyer and Suhas Subramanyam will meet today on Capitol Hill with Carolina Molina, the woman confronted last week by an armed ICE agent, to discuss “next steps” following the incident. Subramanyam previously told NOTUS that he is calling for criminal charges against the officer involved.
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
For fans of “yes, and”: Washington Improv Theater’s Improvapolooza at Studio Theatre, Wednesday through Sunday.
For Rock Creek Park loyalists: JazzDC AllStars at Carter Barron Amphitheater, Thursday.
For bookworms: National Book Festival at Washington Convention Center, Saturday.
For more info on this weekend’s events, read our weekly culture calendar here.
SPORTS
A football nomad, new Commander Rasul Douglas has become a pro at hitting the ground running. Playing for his ninth NFL team in a 10-year career, the veteran defensive back — expected to be a key piece in Washington’s secondary this season — told NOTUS’ Martenzie Johnson that he has approached this summer’s training camp the same way he has embraced every stop on his journey.
“You just get there, learn as much as you can, and then it’s work,” he said.
Training camp update: For the first time since training camp kicked off July 29, center Nick Allegretti practiced with the team Tuesday. The timing couldn’t be any better: During Allegretti’s absence, Washington lost Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps.
Allegretti said he stayed prepared by taking mental reps during his time on the sideline. “It’s a cliche, but you really can get good work if you’re locked in from the sideline or watching tape,” he said. “So, just trying to do that as much as I can to keep myself locked in. Because you can relax real easy and then come back out here and just a simple pressure can beat you.”
What to Watch Today
MLB: Nationals at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. (MLB.TV)
MLS: D.C. United vs. Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (Apple TV)
WNBA: Mystics vs. Tempo, 7:30 p.m. (Monumental)
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The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.
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